The Non-Designer's Design Book- P2

The Non-Designer's Design Book- P2

The Non-Designer's Design Book- P2: So you have a great concept and all the fancy digital tools you could possibly require—what's stopping you from creating beautiful pages? Namely the training to pull all of these elements together into a cohesive design that effectively communicates your message. Not to worry: This book is the one place you can turn to find quick, non-intimidating, excellent design help.
In The Non-Designer's Design Book, 2nd Edition, best-selling author Robin Williams turns her attention to the basic principles of good design and typography. All you have to do is follow her clearly explained concepts, and you'll...

Nội dung Text: The Non-Designer's Design Book- P2

II Part 1: Design Principles
Summary of proximity
When several items are in close proximity to each other, they become one
visual unit rather than several separate units. Items relating to each other
should be grouped together. Be conscious of where your eye is going: where do
you start looking; what path do you follow; where do you end up; after you've
read it, where does your eye go next? You should be able to follow a logical
progression through the piece, from a definite beginning to a definite end.
The basic purpose
The basic purpose of proximity is to organize. Other principles come into play
as well, but simply grouping related elements together into closer proximity
automatically creates organization. If the information is organized, it is more
likely to be read and more likely to be remembered. As a by-product of orga-
nizing the communication, you also create more appealing (more organized)
white space (designers' favorite term).
How to get It
Squint your eyes slightly and count the number of visual elements on the
page by counting the number of times your eye stops. If there are more than
three to five items on the page (of course it depends on the piece), see which
of the separate elements can be grouped together into closer proximity to
become one visual unit.
What to avoid
Avoid too many separate elements on a page.
Don't stick things in the corners and in the middle.
Avoid leaving equal amounts of white space between elements unless each
group is part of a subset.
Avoid even a split second of confusion over whether a headline, subhead,
caption, graphic, etc., belongs with its related material. Create a relation-
ship among elements with close proximity.
Don't create relationships with elements that don't belong together! If they
are not related, move them apart from each other.

m
Alignment
New designers tend to put text and graphics on the page wherever there
happens to be space, often without regard to any other items on the page.
What this creates is the slightly-messy-kitchen effect-you know, with a cup
here, a plate there, a napkin on the floor, a pot in the sink, a spill on the floor.
It doesn't take much to clean up the slightly messy kitchen, just as it doesn't
take much to clean up a slighty messy design that has weak alignments.
The principle of alignment states that nothing should be placed on the page
arbitrarily. Every Item should have a visual connection with something else on
the page. The principle of alignment forces you to be conscious-no longer
can you just throw things on the page wherever there happens to be room.
When items are aligned on the page, it creates a stronger cohesive unit. Even
when aligned elements are physically separated from each other, there is an
invisible line that connects them, both in your eye and in your mind. Although
you might have separated certain elements to indicate their relationships
(using the principle of proximity), the principle of alignment is what !ells the
reader that even though these items are not close, they belong to the same
piece. The following pages illustrate this idea.

II Part 1: Design Principles
Take a look at this business card, the same one you saw in the last chapter.
Part of its problem is that nothing is aligned with anything else. In this
little space, there are elements with three different alignments: flush left,
flush right, and centered. The two groups of text in the upper corners are
not lined up along the same baseline, nor are they aligned at the left or
right edges with the two groups at the bottom of the card (which don't
line up along their baselines, either). '
The elements on this card
(717)
Ralph Roister Dolster S55.1212
look like they were just
thrown on and stuck. Not
one of the eiements has any
connection with any other
Mermaid Tavern element on the card.
916 Bread Street
London,NM
Toke a moment to decide which items should be
grouped into closer proximity, and which should
be separated.
By moving ail the eiements
over to the right and giving
Mermaid Tavern them one alignment, the
Ralph Roister Dolster
information is instantly
more organized. (Of course,
grouping the reiated
elements into closer
916 Bread Street
London,NM proximity helped, too.)
(717) 555.1212 The text items now have
a common boundary;
this boundary connects
them together.

THREE: ALIGNMENT II
In the example (repeated below) that you saw in the proximity section,
the text is also aligned-it's aligned down the center. But if text is aligned,
instead, on the left or the right, the invisible line that connects the text is
much stronger because it has a hard vertical edge to follow. This gives left-
and right-aligned text a cleaner and more dramatic look. Compare the two
examples below, then we'll talk about it on the following pages.
This example has a nice
arrangement with the text
Mermaid Tavern items grouped into logical
Ralph Roister Doister
proximity. The text is
center-aligned over itself.
and centered on the page.
Although this is a legitimate
916 Bread Street
london, NM
alignment, the edges are
(717) 555-1212 "soft"; you don't really see
the strength of the line.
This has the same logical
arrangement as above, but
Mermaid Tavern it is now right-aligned. Can
Ralph Roister Dolste
you see the "hard" edge on
the right7
There is a strong invisibleline
916 Bread stree connecting the edges of these
london, NM two groups of text. Youcan
(717) 555.121 actually see the edge. The
strength of this edge is
whAt gives strength to
The invisible line the layout.
runs right down here,
connecting the text.

II Part 1: Design Principles
Do you tend to automatically center everything? A centered alignment
is the most common alignment that beginners use-it's very safe, it feels
comfortable. A centered alignment creates a more formal look, a more
sedate look, a more ordinary and oftentimes downright dull look. Take
notice of the designs you like. I guarantee that most designs that have a
sophisticated look are not centered. I know it's difficult, as a beginner, to
break away from a centered alignment; you'll have to force yourself to do
it at first. But combine a strong flush right or left alignment with good use
of proximity and you will be amazed at the change in your work.
Business Plan
for
Business Plan Red Hen Enterprises
for
Red Hen Enterprises
by Shannon Williams
March 20, 2006
by Shannon Williams
March 20, 2006
This ;s a typical report cover, yes? The strong ~ush-Ieft alignment gives
This standard format presents Q dull, the report cover a more sophisticated
almost amateurish look, which may impression. Eventhough the author's
jn~uence someone's initial reaction name is far from the tltie, that
to the report. invisible line of the strong alignment
connects the two text blocks.

THREE ALIGNMENT II
Stationery has so many design options! But too often it ends up with a
flat, centered alignment. You can be very free with placement on a piece
of stationery-but remember alignment.
~~
Mom & Pop
~~
; Mom & POp
Corner Grocery Store ; Corner Grocery Store
5Jam Street. Springville, Illinois 00123 : SJamStreet'Spri"gvilie' I!!inois '00123
This isn't bad, but the centered layout A push-ieft aiignment makes the page
is a littie dull, and the border closes a little more sophisticated. limiting the
the space, making it feel confined. dotted line to the ieft side opens the
page and emphasizes the alignment.
~
Mom
& Pop
Corner
Mom & Pop
Grocery Store
.,
~i::;'"
0.1
rt .'
5 Jam Street
Springvitle
llIinoi.
(10123
~-:'i
SJamStreet. Spri"gville, Illi"oisOOl23
This is push right, on the left side. Be brave! Be bold!
I made some changes in the typeface.

II Part 1: Design Principles
I'm not suggesting that you never center anything! Just be conscious of
the effect a centered alignment has- is that really the look you want to
portray? Sometimes it is; for instance, most weddings are rather sedate,
formal affairs, so if you want to center your wedding announcement, do
so consciously and joyfully.
You are
w.rmly invited
You .re w.rmly to
invited to .ttend! .ttend!
centered. Really rather dull. !(you're
r
going to center text,
then at least make it obvious!
You
.re
warmly
invited
to
.ttend!
Experiment with uncentering Ifyou're going to center the text,
the block of centered type. experiment with making it more
dramatic in some other way.

THREE ALIGNMENT m
Sometimes you can add a bit of a twist on the centered arrangement, such
as centering the type, but setting the block of type itself off center. Or set
the type high on the page to create more tension. Or set a very casual, fun
typeface in a very formal, centered arrangement. What you don't want to
do is set Times 12-point with double-Returns!
0 thou pale Orb 0 thou pale Orb
that silent shines that silent
shines
While care-untroubled While care~untroubled
mortals sleep! mortals
sleep!
Robert Burns Robert Bums
~
This is the kind of layout that A centered alignment needs extra
gives "centered" a bad name: care to make it work. This layout
Boring typeface. type that is uses a classic typeface sized fairly
too large. crowded text. double small (reiatively). more space
Returns. dorky border. between the lines. lots of white
space around the text, no border.
0 thou pale
Orb
that silent
shines
While care- RohertDu....
untroubled
mortals Emphasize a wide, centered layout
sleepi with a wide spread. Try your next ~yer
sideways.
))
Emphasize a tall. slender
centered layout with a tall.
slender piece of paper.

II Part 1: Design Principles
You're accustomed to working with text alignments. Until you have more
training, stick to the guideline of using one text alignment on the page:
either all text is flush left, flush right, or centered.
This text is flush left, This text isflush right.
Some people call it Some people call it
quad left, or you can say quad right, or you can
it is left aligned. say it is right aligned.
This text is centered.
If you are going to
center text,
make it
obvious.
See, in this paragraph it is
diliicult to tell if this text
was centered purposely
or perhaps accidentally.
The line lengths are not
the same, but they are not
really different. If you can't
instantly tell that the type
is centered, why bother?
This text is justified. Some people call it quad left
and right, and some call it blocked-the text lines up
on both sides. Whatever you call it, don't do it unless
your line length is long enough to avoid awkward
gaps between the words.

THREE: ALIGNMENT II
Occasionally you can get away with using both flush right and flush left
text on the same page, but make sure you align them in some way!
In this example, the title
and the subtitle are
Robert Burns ~ush lef!. but the
Poems in Scots description is centered-
and English there is no common
alignment between the
two elements of text.
They don't have any
connection to each other.
The most
complete edition
available of
Scotland's
great poet.
Aithough these two
elements still have two
Robert different alignments
(the top is ~ush left
Burns and the bottom is ~ush
Poems in Scots right), the edge of
and English the descriptive text
below aligns with the
right edge of the title
above, connecting the
The most elements with an
complete edition invisible line. This was
available not an accident!
of Scotland's
great poet.

II Part 1: Design Principles
When you place other items on the page, make sure each one has some
visual alignment with another item on the page. If lines of text are across
from each other horizontally, align their baselines. If there are several
separate blocks of text, align their left or right edges. If there are graphic
elements, align their edges with other edges on the page. Nothing should
be placed on the page arbitrarily!
Example 6: Value of a resistor in an electrical circuit.
Find the value ofa resistor in an electrical circuit which wiU dissipate the cha rgeto 1 percent
of its original vsluewithin one twentieth of a second after the switch is closed.
SWitch-> qO= 9 volts
H Inductor[LJ
I
qlll=
1=
1=
c=
0.09 volts
0.05
0.0001
8
seconds
henrys
farads
B'cr'i!"
[:"i"" R= emohms
[RI I
qlll= I 0.253889I
II[l'C-.J 1250
(RJ(2*U]"2 351.5625
SQRT(B15.B16) 29.973941
COS(T*B17J 0.07203653
-R_*T/(2*l) -0.9375
QO+EXP(B19) 3.524451J64
There are two problems here, right? A lack of proximity and a lack of alignment.
Ellen though it may be a boring 01' chart, there is no reason not to make the
page look as nice as possible and to present the information as clearly as
possible. when information is difficult to understand, that's when it is the
most criticalto present it as clean and organized.

THREE: ALIGNMENT III
Lack of alignment is probably the biggest cause of unpleasant-looking
documents. Our eyes like to see order; it creates a calm, secure feeling.
Plus it helps to communicate the information.
In any well-designed piece, you will be able to draw lines to the aligned objects,
even if the overall presentation of material is a wild collection of odd things
and has lots of energy.
Example 6: Value of a resistor in an electrical circuit.
Findthevalueofaresistorinanelectricalcircuitwhichwilldissipatethechargetolpercent
of its original value within one twentieth ofa second after the switch is closed.
SWitch-> qO= 9 volts
qll)= 0.09 volts
H
Battery Capacitor (C) Inductor(l)
I
1=
l=
c=
0.05 seconds
8 henl}'S
0.0001farads
U Resistor
[RI
I
R= [ED ohms
q(U= 10.2538891
IJIl.U 1250
[R..J(2"'UJA2 351.5625
SQRTIBI5-B16} 29.973947
COW*Bl7) 0.07203653
-R_*T/(2*L) -0.9375
QO+EXP(B 19) 3.52445064
simply lining things up makes all the difference here. Notice not one item is
on the page arbitrarily-every item has some visual connection with another
item on the page.
If I knew what this chart was talking about, I might choose to move the box
on the right even farther to the right, away from the big chart. keeping their
tops aligned. Or I might move the lower box farther away. I would adjust the
spacing between the three charts acccording to their intellectual relation-
ships to each other.

II Part 1: Design Principles
A problem with the publications of many new designers' is a subtle lack of
alignment. such as centered headlines and subheads over indented para-
graphs. At first glance. which of the examples on these two pages presents
a cleaner and sharper image?
Dam Honor Form Felter
pegs
Heresy rl\eumatic starry offer "Are badger dint doe mush
former'sdodder.Violate Husking., woke disk moaning! Dilcl\e. curry
an wart hoppingsdam honor form. doze buckles fuller slob darn tutor
Vk>Iate weller fodder,
lift pes-pan an feed«~?"
oi}HJF

THREE: ALIGNMENT II
All those minor misalignments add up to create a visually messy page.
Find a strong line and stick to it. Even though it may be subtle and your
boss couldn't say what made the difference between this example and the
one before it, the more sophisticated look comes through clearly.
Dam Honor Form
Heresy rheumatic starry offer
~
former's dodder, Violate Huskings,
an wart hoppingsdarn honor
form.
Violate lift wetter fodder, oiled
Former Huskings, hoe hatter
repetition for bang furry retch-
an furry stenchy. Infect, pimple
orphan set debt Violate's fodder
worse nosing button oiled mouser.
Violate, honor udder hen, worsted
furry gnats parson-jester putty Fetterpegs
ladJeforrn gull,sarnple, rnorticed, "Are badger dint doe mush woke
anunaffiicted. disk moaning! Oitchercurry doze
buckJes fuller slob darn tutor peg-
Tarred gull pan an fetter pegs?"
Wan moaning Former Huskings "Yap,Fodder. Are fetter pegs."
nudist haze dodder setting honor "Oitcher rnail.carcaws an swoop
cheer, during nosing. otter caw staple?""Offcurse,
"VJOLATE!"sorteddole former, Fodder. Are mulct oiJercaws an
"Watcher setting darn fur? swapped otter staple, fetter check-
Oenture nor yore canned gat ings, an dammed upper larder
retch setting darn during nosing? inner checking-horse toe gadder
Germ pup otter debt cheer!" oiJe. aches, an wen darn tutor
"Arrntarred,Fodder,"resplendent vestibule guarding toe peck oi!er
ViolatewariJy bogs an warms offer vestibules, an
.Watcher tarred fur?" aster stenchy watched an earned yore dosing,
former, hoe dint half mush syrn- an fetter hearses an..."
phony further gull. "Oitcher warder oi!er hearses,
Find a strong alignment and stick to it. Ifthe text is
~ush left, set the heaas ana subheaas ~ush left.
First paragraphs are traditionally not indented. The purpose
of indenting a paragraph is to tell you there is a new para-
graph, but you always know the first one is a paragraph.
On a typewriter, you inaentea five spaces. with the propor-
tional type you are using on your computer, the standard
typographic indent is one em (an em is as wide as the point
size of your type), which is more like two spaces.
Be conscious of the raggea eage of your type. Aajust the
Jinesso your right edge is as smooth as possible.
If there are photographs or illustrations, align them with
an eage ana/or a baseline.

III Part 1: Design Principles
Even a piece that has a good start on a nice design might benefit from subtle
adjustments in alignment. Strong alignment is often the missing key to a
more professional look. Check every element to make sure it has a visual
connection to something else on the page.
1.-.d.1Et
:E&-.'t;
:E&e»'t;'t;Et:a1
:EK-..:a't;
The!5to1y of a IMcket woof and a ladle {lull byH.Ctuac;t:
-Wte p'W~erm WOr6tM murder'e nut cup an gnat-gun, any cLlrdled
t dlln! I.dl~
gull hoe lift-cur mumerIMM/!!rladlecon::lll6"
ope inner bet.
~rttGliofferlodg",dcarter.nehlrkereoIe.:I erupt. &toppertol'r\ue~.trainere.
Den dlek nrtchet ammonol pot. honor groin-
Canyou seeall the places where items could be aligned, but aren't?
If this is your book,go ahead and circleall the misalignments on this
page. Thereare at least nineI

II Part 1: Design Principles
I want to repeat: Find a strong line and use it. If you have a photo or a
graphic with a strong flush side, align the flush side of the text along the
straight edge of the photo, as shown below.
Center Alley
Center Alley worse jester pore ladle gull hoe
lift wetter stop-murder an toe heft-cisterns.
Daze worming war furry wicket an shellfish
parsons. spatially dole stop.-murder. hoe
dint lack Center Alley an. infect. word orphan
traitor pore gull mar lichen ammonol dinner
hormone bang.
~tlter AJ/I'y'sfurry gourd-murder whlskl'l'I'd.
"Walchercral1l'rl/loardr
There is a nice strong line along the left edge of the type. There is a nice strong
line along the left edge of the "photograph: Between the text and the photo.
though. there is "trapped" white space. and the white space is an awkward
shape. When white space is trapped. it pushes the two elements apart.
Center Alley
Center Alley worse jester pore ladle gull hoe
lift wetter stop-murder an toe heft-cisterns.
Daze worming war furry wicket an shellfish
parsons, spatially dole stop-murder. hoe dint
lack Center Alley an, infect, word orphan
traitor pore gull mar lichen ammonol
dinner honnone bang.
"Find a strong line and use it: Now the strong line on the right side of the text
and the strong line on the left side of the photograph are next to each other,
making each other stronger. The white space now is ~oating free off the left
edge. The caption has also been set against the same strong line of the edge
of the photo.

II Part 1: Design Principles
Summary of alignment
Nothing should be placed on the page arbitrarily. Every element should have
some visual connection with another element on the page.
Unity is an important concept in design. To make ali the elements on the page
appear to be unified, connected, and interrelated, there needs to be some
visual tie between the separate elements. Even if the separate elements are
not physicaliy close on the page, they can appear connected, related, unified
with the other information simply by their placement. Take a look at designs
you like. No matter how wild and chaotic a well-designed piece may initially
appear, you can always find the alignments within.
The basic purpose
The basic purpose of alignment is to unifY and organize the page. The result is
similar to what happens when you pick up all the baby toys that were strewn
around the living room floor and put them all into one toy box.
It is often a strong alignment (combined, of course, with the appropriate
typeface) that creates a sophisticated look, or a formal look, a fun look, or a
serious look.
How to get it
Be conscious of where you piace elements. Always find something else on the
page to align with, even if the two objects are physically far away from each
other.
What to avoid
Avoid using more than one text alignment on the page (that is, don't center
some text and right-align other text).
And please try very hard to break away from a centered alignment unless you
are consciously trying to create a more formal, sedate (often dull?) presenta-
tion. Choose a centered alignment consciously, not by default.

II
)
Repeti!i6n II
I
.. .. i
Th e pnnClp Ie 0 f repetitIOn states t ha~you repeat some aspect of the design
throughout the entire piece. The repetitive element maybe a bold font, a thick
rule (line), a certain bullet, color, design element, particular format, spatial
relationships, etc. It can be anything that a reader will visuallfrecognize.
You already use repetition in your work. When you make headlines all the
same size and weight, when you add a rule a half-inch from the bottom of each
page, when you use the same bullet in each list throughout the project-these
are all examples of repetition. What beginners often need to do is push this
idea further-turn that inconspicuous repetition into a visual key that ties
the publication together.
Repetition can be thought of as "consistency:' As you look through an eight-
page newsletter, it is the repetition of certain elements, their consistency, that
makes each of those eight pages appear to belong to the same newsletter. If
page 7 has no repetitive elements carried over from page 6, then the entire
newsletter loses its cohesive look and feel.
But repetition goes beyond just being naturally consistent-it is a conscious
effort to unify all parts of a design.